---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001193125-25-029134"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "MATW"
cik: "0000063296"
company_name: "MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORP"
filed_at: "2025-02-19T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-26T12:39:48.760826+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.55
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.55
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Matthews board chair to retire by 2026; Thomas Gebhardt appointed, governance overhaul

## Summary
- Current board chair Alvaro Garcia-Tunon will retire at the 2026 annual meeting; new independent chair to be appointed by then.
- Thomas Gebhardt appointed to board, effective immediately; brings battery and EV expertise from Panasonic where he led Tesla's Gigafactory project.
- Board seeks declassification, majority voting standard, and elimination of supermajority requirements; proposals at 2026 annual meeting.
- Gregory S. Babe resigned effective immediately; no disagreement with company.
- DBE technology sale to customers other than Tesla affirmed by arbitrator; SGK joint venture for $350M and additional $50M sale of remaining businesses.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001193125-25-029134
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: MATW
- cik: 0000063296
- company_name: MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORP
- filed_at: 2025-02-19T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.55
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.55
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/63296/000119312525029134/0001193125-25-029134-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/63296/000119312525029134/d928104d8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-25-029134
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-25-029134.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001193125-25-029134.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Alvaro Garcia-Tunon departed as Chair of the Board at MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORP.
  - Action: will retire
  - Role: Chair of the Board
  source text: current Board Chair Alvaro Garcia-Tunon will retire from the Board at the 2026 Annual Meeting.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/63296/000119312525029134/0001193125-25-029134-index.htm
- Executive change
  Thomas Gebhardt was appointed as Director at MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORP.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Director
  source text: on February 17, 2025 the Board unanimously selected Thomas Gebhardt, age 64, to fill the vacancy in the class of directors to be elected at the 2026 annual meeting of shareholders created by Mr. Babe’s resignation.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/63296/000119312525029134/0001193125-25-029134-index.htm
- Executive change
  Gregory S. Babe resigned as Director at MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORP.
  - Action: resigned
  - Role: Director
  source text: On February 13, 2025, Gregory S. Babe resigned from the Board, effective immediately.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/63296/000119312525029134/0001193125-25-029134-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.